Surrey Association for Visual Impairment. Making a visible difference in Surrey.
Volunteer support
Volunteer Support
Volunteers for SAVI carry out a huge variety of tasks for us and our service uses and this support is integral in helping us reach our goals of achieving greater independence for visually impaired people in Surrey. Put simply, we could not do half of what we do or reach half of the people we do without our volunteers. The roles are diverse and rewarding, and because they are all flexible, there is something for everyone.
If you want a regular weekly task to get your teeth into or something that you can occasionally fit in around your busy life, then we have a role for you.
There is not a specific type of person who volunteer for us and our volunteering scheme is open to most people. Our volunteers' ages range from 17 to 99 years (We do have a lower age restriction of 17 years). One third of them have a visually impairment. Volunteering is a community act and the diversity of our volunteer reflect this.
All volunteers will be screened and trained to ensure that they are confident in their role even if they have no previous experience of working with visually impaired people. The roles we have to choose from are:
Home Visitor - Visiting someone in their own home on a regular basis. Build the relationship and provide support with everyday tasks such as reading, dealing with post and correspondence and perhaps even escorting the VIP out for a walk or to the shops.
Driver - Providing transport to our service users so they may visit our offices for training, meetings or to visit the Resource centre to purchase assistive equipment. Also to provide regular transport to people attending the many local clubs and classes around Surrey.
Phone friend - Providing support over the telephone for an hour or so a week for people who may have their basic needs met but feel isolated from the community.
Benefits assistant - Helping VIPs to complete applications for benefits - mainly Attendence Allowance and Disability Living Allowance - in order to put some much needed money in their pockets.
Fundraisers - Assisting our fundraiser with specific bids or to help with a street collection. Maybe even organising your own event or getting your group to fundraise for us. If you are running a marathon or doing just about anything, have you considered doing it for us?
Newsletter helpers - Helping to send out 6000 copies of this publication each quarter is big job. Volunteers help to address and stuff envelopes and generally ensure that the newsletter hits the post boxes on time.
Tape readers - Reading various printed material onto tape to enable VIPs to have easier access to it. From our own newsletter for volunteers to instructions for a new piece of equipment. (this role is becoming less and less requested due to advances in the general accessibility of information for VIPs).
Team Leaders - Helping the volunteer co-ordinator to provide support to the ever growing army of volunteers. Staying in touch with about 20 volunteers in your local area and feeding details back to the co-ordinator.
Class Assistant - Helping at a group that meets once a week. You could run the group, provide transport for it's members or make the tea. There are many options.
We also occasionally run one off projects on a fairly small basis and might need input from someone just for a day or two so, as you can see, there is a lot to choose from. You can find out more about how to join us at our recruitment page or contact us in the usual ways.
If you think you may be interested in any of the roles or just to find out more, please get in touch with the Head of Community Services, Jason Spinney.
Tel: 01372 377701 EXT 250. Email: jspinney@sa-vi.org.uk or our Home Visitor Supervisor, Dennis Saunders tel: 01372 377701 EXT 239. Email: dsaunders@sa-vi.org.uk
Back to Volunteering page.
Sight Loss
Learn about the most common eye conditions that can cause visual impairment.
Macular Disease
Cataract
Diabetic Retinopathy
Glaucoma
